Afield

Outdoors

Calling Afield a mere cookbook would be daftly inadequate. It would be like calling the Grand Canyon a large ditch. A philosophical journal, a field guide, a visual work of art – all of these would be fitting descriptions of the new book by Texas chef Jesse Griffiths and photographer Jody Horton.

It is indeed a practical manual to help you prepare wild game and fish, but with equal emphasis on the principles of how we approach our food – not just what we eat. Well organized into thematic chapters like Creek Fishing, Deer and Turkey, Flounder and Crab, and Sausage and Charcuterie, each subject is covered with thoughtful insight, practical tips and personal tales.

Taking the entire collection to a whole different level are the striking and useful photographs of the experience, methods and the mouthwatering results. Half of them will inspire you to never eat anything processed again, while the other half will make you want to grab your rod or gun and head out into the wild right away.

“We shot the field photos over the course of two years – working in a trip when we could,” Jody told us. “Traveling around Texas to hunt and fish for ‘work’ is about as good as it gets. We wanted everything to look and feel natural, so I tried to get photos of everything as it was happening and not direct too much.”

In addition to the 85 living-off-the-land recipes, you’ll learn the proper method to butcher a hog, pluck a dove, field-dress large game, fillet a fish and make your own sausage. “This is such a useful book – for experienced and first-time hunters alike – and we’re really proud of that,” said Jody.

Even if you don’t catch or hunt for your own bounty, Afield is still a worthy companion to any urban kitchen.